Watershed Leaders Network

Funding

Annually, we fund projects led by local teams of landowners, advisors, and community partners who are working together to reduce soil erosion and nutrient runoff to streams of the upper Mississippi River Basin.

Applicants are non-government, county, state, and federal agriculture and natural resources organizations. One-to-one cost share is required. Applications are generally due in October and decisions are made in the last quarter of each year.

Funded Projects

2018 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

The Nature Conservancy is working with farmers, Iowa Soybean Association, and Wright County SWCD to restore oxbows for Topeka shiner spawning habitat in the Boone River Watershed, IA. Boone River Watershed Partnership includes farmers, The Nature Conservancy, Wright County SWCD, Iowa Soybean Association, and Iowa DNR.

2018 | Tainter Creek | Wisconsin (Joint project with DARE)

Tainter Creek Farmer-Led Council, Valley Stewardship Network, Trout Unlimited and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are collaborating to develop a fish habitat and bank stabilization project on Tainter and Conway Creek. The partners will work with NRCS, WI DNR and Fishers & Farmers to stabilize over a mile of eroding banks with the addition of in-stream habitat.

Farmers are working with Cannon River Watershed Partnership and will plant cover crops on about 1,000 of the 3,469 tillable acres in the Rice Creek watershed for 3 consecutive years to create long-term watershed wide protection by reducing nitrate, phosphorus and solids loading into Rice Creek and downstream into the Cannon River. St. Olaf College will monitor drainage tile and in-stream nitrate, total phosphorus, total suspended solids and aquatic macroinvertebrates. A MN DNR fish count will provide information about the impacts on the fishery.

2017 | Kickapoo River Watershed | Wisconsin

Valley Stewardship Network seeks to create the first project and farmer-led demonstration site for the Iowa State University STRIPS (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips) model in the state of Wisconsin. STRIPS are an easily-integrated and low-cost management option that, when 10% of fields are devoted to prairie strips, are reported to: reduce sediment transport by 95%; reduce phosphorous transport by 90%; reduce nitrogen transport by 84% and reduce annual surface water flow by 40%. This demonstration will serve as a farmer to farmer education tool and model of sediment and nutrient runoff reduction from prairie STRIPS that benefits fish habitat, soil health, wildlife, pollinators and biodiversity.

2017 | Peno Creek Watershed | Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation is working with NRCS and other partners on technical and cost share assistance in the Peno Creek Cooperative Partnership for alternative watering systems, riparian corridor tree plantings, stream fencing, and stream crossings

2017 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

The Boone River Watershed Partnership includes farmers, The Nature Conservancy, Kossuth and Wright County SWCD’s, Iowa Soybean Association, and Iowa DNR working together to restore stream oxbows to create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner

2017 | Galena River Watershed| Illinois

A League of Women Voters is working to establish a farmer-led group in the Galena River watershed and develop a plan to proactively address land use issues affecting water quality and habitat degradation with a focus on fish species of greatest conservation need. Building on relationships established through a 2-year county-wide water resource management planning effort, and coordinating with and feeding into a parallel IEPA-supported Galena River Watershed planning process, the farmer-led group will participate in a series of workshops and facilitated discussions in an effort to establish broad consensus and active participation in the watershed.

2017 | Rock Creek Watershed | Iowa

Rock Creek has a 70 square mile watershed and is a tributary to the Cedar River which is an Upper Mississippi River Basin Initiative watershed. Thirty two fish species inhabit the stream these include smallmouth bass, rock bass and nine species of greatest conservation need of which two are state threatened species. Two low head dams are inhibiting fish movement. Project partners are working to remove or modify low head dams that are inhibiting fish movement, enhance fish habitat, and help farmers with stream crossings for farmland accessibility near Osage, IA.

GIS/Science Team & Communications Coordinators will demonstrate science-driven and social development of fish habitat conservation & restoration strategies leading to project (on-site) & downstream (off-site) benefits to UMRB streams/rivers. The Coordinators will help guide strategic habitat conservation and enable future learning which will hopefully initiate more conservation.

2016 | Hutchins Creek Watershed | Illinois

Farmers and the U.S. Forest Service -Shawnee National Forest, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Fisheries and Partners for Fish & Wildlife Programs, Illinois Department of Agriculture, and Union County SWCD, are working on streambank stabilization, a riparian buffer, and enhancing in-stream habitat and water quality for Federal and State fish and mussel species of concern

2016 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

The Boone River Watershed Partnership includes farmers, The Nature Conservancy, Kossuth and Wright County SWCD’s, Iowa Soybean Association, and Iowa DNR working together to restore stream oxbows to create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner

2016 | Root River Watershed | Minnesota

Farmers in the Root River Field to Stream Partnership (RRFSP) are working with MN Dept. of Ag, county agencies, The Nature Conservancy, MN Ag Water Resources Center, and MN DNR to evaluate nutrient and sediment loss from the edge of fields and measure the effectiveness of conservation practices with in-stream monitoring stations in three subwatersheds

2016 | Spring Creek Watershed | Missouri

Agricultural landowners are working with Missouri Department of Conservation on livestock exclusion from streams, alternative water systems, riparian corridor habitat, reinforced stream crossings, cover crops, and managed grazing plans to improve water quality and fish habitat

2015 | Seven-Mile Creek Watershed | Minnesota

Seven Mile Creek Partnership includes farmers, Great River Greening, Nicollet Soil & Water Conservation District, and NRCS. They are installing water storage systems and bioreactors to reduce ravine erosion, sedimentation, and nutrients to creek

2015 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

2014 | Rock Creek Watershed | Iowa

Iowa DNR and NRCS are working with a farmer to remove a low-head dam inhibiting fish movement, opening approximately 5 miles of stream habitat to fish

2014 | Peno Creek Watershed | Missouri

Missouri Department of Conservation is working with NRCS and other partners on technical and cost share assistance in the Peno Creek Cooperative Partnership for alternative watering systems, riparian corridor tree plantings, stream fencing, and stream crossings

2014 | Kickapoo River Watershed | Wisconsin

Establish a demonstration site for best farm management practices, host landowner discussions about economic benefits of best practices, restore 30 acres tilled floodplain to permanent cover, conduct water quality monitoring

2013 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

2013 | Engaging Landowners Workshops | All 5 states

Landowner engagement workshops led by Missouri Department of Conservation for federal/state/county/NGO staff in 5-state area (Funding from Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies)

2012 | Seven-Mile Creek Watershed | Minnesota

Farmers and Nicollet Soil & Water Conservation District, NRCS, Great River Greening, and Minnesota DNR installing sediment control structures and other practices to reduce ravine erosion, sedimentation, and nutrients to creek

2012 | Rush/Pine Watershed | Minnesota

Support for 40-member farmer-led council, 2 sub-watershed groups, and cover crop program to address water quality and fish habitat issues

2011 | Boone River Watershed | Iowa

Farmers and Iowa DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association, and County SWCDs are restoring stream oxbows to create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner.